Forming plurals - Easy Learning Grammar French

1Plurals ending in -s

In English we usually make nouns plural by adding an -s to the end(garden → gardens; house → houses), although we do have some nouns which are irregular and do not follow this pattern (mouse → mice; child → children).

TipRemember that you have to use les with plural nouns in French. Any adjective that goes with the noun has to agree with it, as does any pronoun that replaces it.

Most French nouns also form their plural by adding an -s to their singular form.

un jardin

a garden

des jardins

gardens

une voiture

a car

des voitures

cars

un hôtel

a hotel

des hôtels

hotels

If the singular noun ends in -s, -x or -z, no further -s is added in the plural.

un fils

a son

des fils

sons

une voix

a voice

des voix

voices

un nez

a nose

des nez

noses

2Plurals ending in -x

The following nouns add an -x instead of an -s in the plural:

nouns ending in -eau

un chapeau

a hat

des chapeaux

hats

most nouns ending in -eu

un jeu

a game

des jeux

games

a FEW nouns ending in -ou (MOST nouns ending in -ou add -s as usual)

un bijou

a jewel

des bijoux

jewels

un caillou

a pebble

des cailloux

pebbles

un chou

a cabbage

des choux

cabbages

un genou

a knee

des genoux

knees

un hibou

an owl

des hiboux

owls

un joujou

a toy

des joujoux

toys

un pou

a louse

des poux

lice

TipAdding an -s or -x to the end of a noun does not usually change the way the word is pronounced. For example, professeur and professeurs and chapeau and chapeaux sound just the same when you say them out loud.

If the singular noun ends in -al or -ail, the plural usually ends in -aux.

un journal

a newspaper

des journaux

newspapers

un animal

an animal

des animaux

animals

un travail

a job

des travaux

jobs

TipThe plural of un œil (an eye) is des yeux (eyes).

3Plural versus singular

A few words relating to clothing are plural in English but NOT in French.

un slip

pants

un short

shorts

un pantalon

trousers

A few common words are plural in French but NOT in English.

les affaires

business

les cheveux

hair

des renseignements

information

Grammar Extra!When nouns are made up of two separate words, they are called compound nouns, for example, les grands-parents (meaning grandparents), des ouvre-boîtes (meaning tin-openers). The rules for forming the plural of compound nouns are complicated and it is best to check in a dictionary to see what the plural is.

Key points

Most French nouns form their plural by adding an -s to their singular form. If the singular noun ends in -s, -x or -z, no further-s is added in the plural.

Most nouns ending in -eau or -eu add an -x in the plural.

Most nouns ending in -ou take an -s in the plural, with a few exceptions.

If the singular noun ends in -al or -ail, the plural usually ends in-aux.

Adding an -s or -x to the end of a noun does not generally affect the way the word is pronounced.

A few common words are plural in English but not in French, and vice versa.